Salazar told AL.com it’s too soon to know if he will re-open the club.

“We need to just take one step at a time,” Salazar said Monday. “My main focus (of bringing the lawsuit) was to clear my name. Everything I owned was in that business. This is a vindication.”

Tucker’s attorney, Kimberly Ford, said she plans to file a motion in the coming days asking Smith to vacate or amend his judgment. The next step after that would be filing an appeal with the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals, Ford said Tuesday.

Salazar sued Tucker late last year, claiming the former Heritage Club chief financial officer illegally seized control of the business, misrepresented to banks that he was in charge of corporate funds, and held “clandestine” meetings with employees to try to force Salazar out of the picture.

The lawsuit sought to have Salazar’s Private Club LLC declared the primary owner of the Heritage Club and to void all business decisions made by Tucker.

Ford released a statement in late April saying that Salazar “transferred Private Club LLC’s controlling interest in The Heritage Club (to Tucker) because he was unable to secure financing for the club’s construction at Bridge Street due to his personal financial situation.”

The Heritage Club opened on Washington Street in downtown Huntsville in 1984 and quickly became the city’s go-to spot for power lunches and dinners. Private Club LLC acquired the business in August 2007.

According to his lawsuit, Salazar sold Tucker 130 shares of stock in the club in January 2011. Two other investors – Robert Nichols and Steven Young – purchased a total of 150 shares. Salazar’s firm remained majority owner with 283 shares as of October 2012, the suit contends.

Tucker “knew the potential of the club and wanted to be at the helm,” Salazar said Monday.